


melt into your touch

by oikawakkun



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Character Death, Coming of Age, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Miya Atsumu-centric, Reincarnation, Supernatural Elements, no beta i just live through the embarrassment of my typos then edit them out later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:49:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27491479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oikawakkun/pseuds/oikawakkun
Summary: Ten year old Miya Atsumu meets a forest spirit one summer during his visit to the countryside.The forest spirit refuses to let Atsumu hold his hand no matter how much he tried, but that doesn't stop Atsumu from visiting him every summer after that.or my take on a sakuatsu Hotarubi no Mori e AU
Relationships: Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 64





	melt into your touch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flawful](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flawful/gifts).



> Happy Birthday JJ!!
> 
> i bet you weren't expecting this kind of present but this au just wouldn't leave me alone! plus you deserve all the sakuatsu content and happiness i can offer!! anyway, this fic isn't much (but it's honest work) so i hope i was able to make you smile/cry <33 ilysm

❆

_"Something that disappears when touched..._

_It's just like snow, isn't it?"_

**_— Hotaru Takegawa, Hotarubi no Mori e_ **

❆

* * *

Miya Atsumu wakes up exactly five minutes before his alarm clock rang with a wide grin already plastered on his face despite the early hours of the day. Anticipation makes him giddy and Atsumu's quick to jump out of the bed, his eyes bright with excitement as he made his way out of his room and to the kitchen for breakfast (ignoring Osamu's shouts of anger at being woken up too early.)

He doesn't really have to check the calendar for the date, having already imbedded this special day to heart, but he does anyway just to confirm.

Atsumu's been waiting for this day all year, though this year would be a bit different than the last, he tells himself.

_'I'll be going alone.'_

A visit to their grandparents way back in the countryside was always the highlight in both of his and Osamu's summer. But with Osamu catching a cold early this week, Atsumu will be the only one going this year. The look of disappointment on Osamu's face when their mother refused to let him tag along made Atsumu falter for a brief moment.

But not for long, with the promise to bring his younger twin lots of food from their grandparents on his way home after the visit, Atsumu sealed his resolve and made his way to go change his clothes for the trip. He changes fast and ate his breakfast quickly, ignoring his mother's light scolding words in favor of stuffing his face with food as quickly as he could.

With breakfast finished and out of the way, Atsumu all but flings his backpack over his shoulder in his haste to leave, giving his mother a quick kiss on the forehead as a goodbye.

"Have you packed everything you need?" She asked before he makes it out the door, just to be sure. "Make sure to listen to your grandparents!"

Atsumu nods and sends Osamu a quick grin as he closes the door, his shoelaces barely tied properly.

"Don't get lost on your way, 'Tsumu!" Osamu shouts with his face still stuffed with eggs and rice.

"Ya know I wont!"

* * *

The summer heat was already sweltering despite the early morning, as beads of sweat tickled down Atsumu's back and forehead, making his clothes stick to his body uncomfortably. The heat was probably the only thing Atsumu hated about the summer as he continued on with his way, the cicadas were really loud as he passed by a neighboring tree.

There's no cooling wind as me made quick steps to the train station, not even a single breeze, and Atsumu can't wait to get to the train.

The walk to the station was a good ten minuets from his house, but Atsumu's too excited to be bothered by the distance, not even the heat was enough to faze his good mood.

He waits for his train to arrive and lets his ten year old mind wander off to all the things he wanted to do during his visit to his grandparents' house, making a mental list as he sat on an empty bench at the station, his legs swinging every few seconds in anticipation.

The train arrives a few minutes later and Atsumu all but beams at the conductor as he sat himself on a seat besides a window, giddy with excitement as his eyes gazed outside the window, the view always took his breath away as the buildings and houses that he's come to know all his life shifts into the yellows of the rice fields and blues of the open sea.

Slowly, Atsumu opens the window and feels the salty breeze grazing his skin.

He closes his eyes and let's the scent of the sea and the warmth of the sun lull him in a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Atsumu was jolted awake from his sleep when the train slowed to a stop.

He blinks his eyes a few times and checks his watch for the time. It's already been an hour and a half. Finally awake and a little bit more alert, Atsumu checks the station name and is rewarded with a familiar sight and sign. 

_'It's the last stop, Atsumu. Don't forget.'_ His mother had reminded him last night when he was packing for the trip.

Atsumu was quick to grab his backpack as he hopped off the train, giving his thanks the the train conductor, and looked around for his grandmother in the crowd of people waiting at the station. He sees her right away, holding a basket full of vegetables and fresh fish and Atsumu could already taste her home cooked meals at the tip of his tongue.

Her signature straw hat sits comfortably on top of her gray hair and she's wearing the same blue t-shirt Atsumu got her last summer.

_She hasn't changed a bit._

"Look at ya," his grandmother beamed at him after giving him a warm hug. "Yer already a head taller than when I last saw ya!"

* * *

Dinner was never a quiet ordeal when his grandpa always had a story to tell, enrapturing Atsumu with every fable he knows as he takes a drag from an old wooden pipe Atsumu never saw him without. 

Spending time with his grandparents in their cozy home was always a great experience, they were great company and they didn't mind if Atsumu came home dirty and trailing mud all over the doorstep as much as his mother did.

But aside from his grandparents' place, Atsumu was more than excited to go and explore the village. It was a small area far away from the rest of the Hyōgo Prefecture and was completely surrounded by nature.

A dense forest surrounded the small village by the west with the sea surrounding it to the east, and Atsumu made it a personal goal to explore the entire place during his trip.

It would be an amazing adventure he could probably tell Osamu stories about once he got back home.

* * *

His grandfather was telling him another story one afternoon while they were eating chilled watermelons to counter the sweltering summer heat. He tells him that the forest besides their village had things living in it that weren't human nor beast. It was named _The Forest of Fireflies' Light,_ he explained, voice gruff after taking another drag from his pipe.

It was a place where it was said that many forest spirits and yōkais would wander during the day and night, guarding the trees and protecting their land from anyone who tried to hurt it.

"Just like in _Mononoke Hime!"_ Atsumu exclaimed with a few watermelon seeds stuck to his cheeks, earning him a few chuckles from his grandmother and a pat on the head from his grandfather.

"That's right, Atsumu." His grandfather had said, "But it's just a story, though the villagers liked to believe it ain't."

And at that time, ten year old Atsumu thought that the idea of forest spirits and yōkais were the most interesting thing he's ever heard. 

"I want to see one too!" Atsumu exclaimed, voice full of determination as he stared at the forest right outside their window with fire burning in the amber of his eyes.

* * *

The next day, Atsumu practically begged his grandfather to give him his permission to go out and explore the forest on his own. The old man was reluctant to agree at first, but with a few more of Atsumu's pouts and pleading, the older man ended up agreeing so long as Atsumu doesn't stray too far and followed the trail.

Atsumu was quick to give his thanks, dashing out the front door with a wave and a short _"I'll be back before dinner!"_

Once he was outside the house, he quickly tightened his shoelaces and gives it a few expert tugs for extra measures. He set his favorite yellow cap on top of his head and straps his prized _Doraemon_ backpack (the one his mother got him when he ate all his vegetables for an entire week while Osamu got a _Pikachu_ shaped one) tightly to his shoulders and made his way to the forest with a stick he found along the trail at hand.

He fishes out an apple from the small backpack and happily munched on the fruit as he followed the dirt trail, happily humming a random anime opening to himself. He was quite content with wandering aimlessly as his eyes scanned the trees and river for any signs of a forest guardian or yōkai.

* * *

Atsumu settles down on a clearing a few distance from the river near his grandparents' house and takes out an old book he found on top of a dusty bookshelf inside the attic when he was helping his grandmother clean that morning. The book had a map of the entire Hyōgo Prefecture and he flips through some of the pages until he got to a really colorful one. He places the book on the ground and lets his eyes roam the colorful paper with interest as he checks the trees every few seconds for anything interesting.

He hears a few birds chirping among the tall branches and spots a frog near a rock by the river, but there are no signs of any forest spirit whatsoever. A cool breeze tousles his hair and in Atsumu's attempt to fix his fringes back in place, he spots _it._

A stag beetle was perched on a tree trunk a few feet from where he sat, it's size was a lot bigger than anything Atsumu's ever saw and the urge to catch it for Osamu crosses his mind, making him grin. He sits up immediately, his map discarded as he made his way to the tree as fast as he could.

The beetle spread its silver wings and flew further away from Atsumu's reach before he could catch it. In his excitement, Atsumu decided to chase after it, running as fast as his feet could take him. The wind in his hair felt amazing and the grin on his face spreads even wider the more he caught up to the beetle.

_If only Osamu was here with him._

The unexpected thought makes him pause in his tracks and the beetle took its chance to escape from his sight.

Atsumu takes his time to catch his breath, mostly for the sake of calming himself down from the thought rather than his exhaustion. And when he finally stopped panting, he quickly looks around for the trail to get back to his things. Surprisingly, the path is nowhere in sight and the trees surrounding him looked unfamiliar. 

_He's lost._

The sudden realization felt like a splash of cold water and Atsumu panics. Before he could voice out his panic, he hears a few leaves and twigs breaking near his right and he turns right in time to see a glowing pair of eyes. Atsumu didn't even have the time to scream, he just ran.

* * *

The wind was no longer a comfort for him as he ran even faster.

His mind kept wandering back to the noise he heard and the sickly feeling of eyes watching him. There was something _different_ in this forest, Atsumu concluded— something that wasn't human or beast.

_Yōkai._

He falls face first on the ground when his foot tripped on a stone near the tree he was passing in his haste, and when he tried to get up, he realized that his left knee is cut and bleeding. Atsumu pauses from his frantic running to scream in pain as he felt the blood trailing down his leg. There are hot tears trailing down his cheeks and they continued to fall as he cried on his own without the comfort of his mother or twin by his side, his earlier fear forgotten for the moment as he felt the unbearable sadness of being completely alone sink in.

Atsumu could only sit and stay where he was, rooted in place as he continued to cry for nearly half and hour. His crying was relentless until he heard the same rustling of leaves from earlier and he pauses when he felt a sudden chill ran down his spine, new found fear stirs within him when the sound only got louder. 

Suddenly, he hears a deep and monotonous voice call out to him from the wind.

"Hey, kid." The voice called, and Atsumu turned his head, curious to see who it belonged to. His eyes roam the expanse of the forest, looking for a figure to make out from among the abundance of tress and then he stops when he spots when his gaze lands on a figure.

Atsumu's eyes widened when he meets a pair of crimson red eyes starring right back at him.

The boy was a few meters away from Atsumu. He's standing near what appears to be an entrance of an old torii. Why there would be one so far from the village was a question Atsumu didn't bother to ask himself when he continued to stare right back at the boy.

Atsumu could see unruly raven hair with a few stay curls framing the boy's pale skin. He looked as though the bright rays of the sun couldn't touch him at all, the sunlight barely grazing his bare arms. The other boy was dressed in an open white collared shirt with a red t-shirt beneath it and light gray slacks that look a bit loose on him. His feet were clad in black sandals, not at all muddy, confusing Atsumu since his own pair of shoes were covered in dirt from just a few hours in the forest.

But the most striking thing about the boy's appearance was his face, considering that Atsumu couldn't see it at all given that the boy was covering it with a mask.

His face was completely hidden from view as he stood near the torii.

It looked like a white kabuki mask in the shape of a kitsune, with two holes cute out for the eyes with the eyelid pained on in red and just above the eyes were two huge pointed ears, hiding some the boy's inky black hair.

Atsumu was about to ask him why he was wearing a mask, but the stranger beat him to it.

"Can you stop crying?" the stranger asked, obviously irritated despite the mask hiding his entire face.

* * *

Atsumu paid the stranger's blatant annoyance no mind, too relieved to see another person to feel any kind of wariness. So with little prompting, he immediately got up from his pitiful crouch on the forest floor and started to approach the stranger.

Forgetting the momentary pain on his knee, he made quick paced steps to reach the other boy and only stopped when he's just a few feet away. Now that he's closer, Atsumu could clearly see the stark difference in their height. The boy— _no, the teenager,_ Atsumu's mind corrected him when the stranger loomed over him was quiet as he regarded Atsumu with obvious disdain..

When he's this close, Atsumu could clearly see the different shades flickering from the stranger's eyes, the colors shifting like ambers from a newly lit torch, the reds swimming like rubies as the sunlight shifted from the stranger's irises. 

The stranger backs away from him when Atsumu decided to step forward, surprising Atsumu with the speed of his movements.

"You're a human, right?" The stranger asked. Upon hearing his weird question, Atsumu tilted his head in confusion.

"Look, kid." the teen sighed in exasperation as he rubbed the back of his neck in quiet contempt as he continued to explain, "If a human touches me, I'll disappear."

"What do ya mean human?" Atsumu asked, curiosity burning his vison as he regarded the masked teen. "You're a human too, ain'tcha?"

* * *

The teenager still hadn't taken off his mask, but he was looking down at Atsumu and judging by his rigid posture, the face beneath his mask was probably looking pretty frustrated by Atsumu's question.

"I'm not." The stranger answered with a sigh, "I'm something that lives in this forest." He added, but offered no extra information.

"So," Atsumu paused, contemplative as he watched the wind rustle the tall grass, still deep in thought. "You're a forest spirit!" He concluded, excited by his new discovery. "But wait, what'd ya mean by disappear?"

The teen didn't reply, completely ignoring Atsumu's question as he turned with a deep sigh and started to walk away from the torii.

Atsumu could only stare dumbly, watching the stranger walk away from him, his figure disappearing from view.

Not one to be deterred by silence, Atsumu began to follow the stranger, limping to catch up to their longer and faster strides.

"Hold on!" Atsumu shouted. "Wait for me!"

The teen only kept walking, not once slowing down from his pace to let Atsumu catch up, though he would stop after a few minutes to check if Atsumu was still following him.

* * *

The walk did nothing to elevate the pain from the cut on Atsumu's knee and he could already feel his muscles starting to strain from the trek. But despite the ache from his body, Atsumu was more insistent to know more about the masked stranger.

"So," Atsumu started, "Do ya have a name?"

"Are human kids always this noisy?" The stranger asked, still walking forward without sparring Atsumu a single glance. "Maybe if ya answered my question, I'd shut up!" Atsumu glared, annoyed by the teen's attitude. "Where are we headin' to anyway?"

The stranger didn't answer any of Atsumu's question but Atsumu could've sworn he heard the taller boy mumbling something that sounded a lot like _"annoying brat"_ and _"should've just left him there."_

"Can we at least slow down?" He asked, wiping the sweat trailing down his forehead. "My legs are tired from all the walking." The stranger finally turned to look at Atsumu for a moment, contemplative as he watched Atsumu struggle to catch up.

"No." The stranger answered. After a few moments, he added "We're almost there."

Atsumu was about to ask him what he meant when he the clearing came to view.

He saw the river and the sight of his _Doraemon_ backpack made him tear up in relief.

_He was back. He wasn't lost._

Atsumu ran to it and hugged the familiar fabric in his arms tightly, sighing in bliss as he wiped the stray tears away. He was about to turn around and thank the stranger for leading him back, but when he opened his mouth to voice his gratitude, he was only met by the wind.

The stranger was gone and Atsumu for a moment thought he had imagined everything.

But the cut on his knee was still there and he could still feel those same eyes watching over him as he ran all the way back to his grandparents' house.

* * *

He retold the story over dinner that same night, eyes bright and hands comical as he waved them around in emphasis during certain parts of his story.

His grandmother kept worrying about the cut on his knee but Atsumu was quick to assure her that it was just a scratch. His grandfather was more than happy to ask him questions about his strange encounter with the masked teenager.

"He looked human to me," Atsumu said after taking a slurp of his miso ramen. "But he said I couldn't touch him!" 

"Why's that?" His grandfather asked curiously.

"Dunno why," Atsumu tried to remember if the stranger said anything else, slumping in his seat in thought. "He said he'd disappear if I did, he was really weird."

_"If a human touches me, I'll disappear."_

* * *

The following day, Atsumu was back in the forest, amber eyes searching for the familiar shape of a kabuki mask amongst the trees.

"Where are ya?" Atsumu shouted to the wind, loud and stubborn.

"At least let me say thank you." He grumbled, kicking a stone to the river as he waited for any sign of the strange boy.

"What are you doing out here again so soon?" Said a familiarly frustrated voice and when Atsumu turned around, he was faced with the same kitsune mask and black unruly hair. The stranger was standing on a tree branch right above where Atsumu was standing, clearly annoyed, with his arms crossed over his chest as he looked down at him curiously. "Do you like getting lost that much, kid?"

"Aren't you afraid?" The stranger added quickly, as if he wanted Atsumu to fear him.

"I wanted to say thanks," Atsumu began slowly, ignoring the stranger's question and taunts as he bowed his body to a proper 90 degree angle just like what his ma taught him to do when addressing someone politely in gratitude. "Since ya helped me out yesterday."

The stranger makes a sound of acknowledgement as he regarded Atsumu's bow but made no move to say anything else.

"Hey," Atsumu finally said after a few bits of silence as he walked closer to the tree where the stranger stood, "do ya got a name?"

_More silence._

"I'm Miya Atsumu." The younger introduced himself easily. "Now that ya know my name, tell me yours. It'd be weird if I don't call ya by a name." He continued, hopping that the other would answer him if he explained himself further. "I mean, I could keep callin' ya _kitsune man_ if ya don't."

"That's a horrible nickname." The stranger finally says.

"Then tell me yer name!" Atsumu demanded, arms flailing as he heard the older boy sigh in exasperation.

"It's Omi." The stranger finally answers, voice surprisingly soft at the mention of his own name.

"So, _Omi-kun._ " Atsumu said, testing the name with his tongue as he regarded the stranger. 

"Omi-Omi!" Atsumu declared a few seconds later, patting himself on the back for thinking of a nice nickname for the older boy.

"Don't call me that." Omi said flatly, earning him a chuckle from Atsumu.

"But it's a cool name." Atsumu confessed.

"You're weird." Omi said, but Atsumu saw the way Omi's shoulders began to shake and the sound of the older boy's laughter surprised Atsumu, it was a deep yet soothing sound that reverberates with the wind and echoes through the trees. 

He doesn't mind hearing Omi-kun laugh some more, Atsumu concludes.

* * *

Atsumu began to met the strange boy every afternoon after that.

They always meet by the clearing once Atsumu was done helping his grandfather with the morning chores, his backpack was usually filled with his lunch and a few additional snacks that he'd take with him to eat with Omi.

The older boy didn't really eat any of the food Atsumu tried to share with him, refusing to share chopsticks.

"Then I'll bring another pair of chopsticks tomorrow if yer that bothered with sharing." Atsumu said, refusing to let his new friend miss out on his grandmother's cooking.

"That's not necessary, I can't even eat human food anymore." Omi explained, content with sitting on the soft checkered blanket Atsumu laid on the ground for the two of them.

"That sucks, Omi-Omi!" Atsumu exclaimed, "Don't tell me, ya can't even eat ice cream?"

The older boy laughed at Atsumu's obvious despair at the thought of being unable to eat the frozen treat, "I've already forgotten what ice cream tastes like."

"That's even _worse!"_

On his way home that afternoon, Atsumu promised to bring Omi-kun as many ice cream he could purchase with his allowance.

"Ya need to remember what happiness tastes like, Omi-Omi!" Atsumu declared with a shout as he waved his goodbye to the older boy.

* * *

The ice cream has already melted a little bit when Atsumu got to Omi the following day.

It still tasted amazing but the older boy refused to eat any of it no matter how much Atsumu whined, ignoring Atsumu's taunts in favor of reading the book Atsumu brought with him.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the two of them chatting about anything Atsumu could think of.

The older boy didn't really talk much, but he always made sure to answer Atsumu's questions.

"Why won't ya let me hold yer hand, Omi-Omi?" Atsumu asked seriously, remembering the times Omi would constantly avoid any of Atsumu's touch whenever he tried to grab the older man's hand.

The older boy was silent as the looked at Atsumu, his crimson eyes glinting from the sunlight as he regarded Atsumu with a look the younger boy couldn't quite understand. They were laying down on the grass, somewhere near the old torii, as they watched the tall grassed and wild flowers sway with the wind.

"I'd disappear if a human touches me," Omi explained, his voice the softest Atsumu has ever heard him use. "The mountain God put this spell on me when I got lost in the forest years ago."

"How long ago?" Atsumu asked, as he laid on his back, watching the clouds pass by.

"Longer than your time here on earth." Omi answered, the silence that followed was something Atsumu found suffocating.

"Do ya ever get sad when yer all alone?" Atsumu asked softly.

Omi looked away and didn't bother to answer Atsumu's question and Omi's silence broke Atsumu's heart.

Later that evening, Atsumu finally understood what the look on Omi's face meant ** _—_** _loneliness._

* * *

"Hey, Omi-Omi." Atsumu started, as he parched himself on top on a rock right next to the river. He lets his bare feet sink into the cool water and sighs in bliss. "Are ya like one of those faceless monsters like No-face in _Spirited Away?"_

"What makes you say that?" Omi asked as he sat by the grass, a few short distance from where Atsumu was sitting.

"Cause ya keep wearin' that kabuki mask." Atsumu answered, swinging his feet every time he saw a small fish swim by.

"No, I don't wear the mask because of that." Omi says. After a moment, he adds "A friend of mine gave me the mask."

"Who?"

The silence that followed stretches on for a few more minuets and when Atsumu turns his head to ask again, he sees Omi laying still by the wild flowers, his chest rising and falling evenly. 

He was asleep.

Grinning to himself, Atsumu was quick to reach the sleeping boy, walking as quietly as he could. Atsumu kneeled right next to older boy's side, his small hands shook as he slowly reached for the mask with trembling fingers.

_It doesn't matter if I touch the mask, right?_

Slowly, Atsumu lifted the porcelain mask and the sight that greeted him, made Atsumu's chest tighten.

_Omi was pretty._

His skin looked so soft and delicate under the light of the sun, his eyes were closed and Atsumu could see how long and dark his eyelashes were, casting their shadows to Omi's cheek. The gentle wind tousled his dark wavy hair to the side and Atsumu could see two prominent beauty marks right on top of his left eyebrow, the urge to touch the sleeping boy made Atsumu's hands reach for his face unconsciously. 

But before Atsumu's hand to could reach him, Omi's eyes began to open.

A pair of crimson eyes landed on Atsumu's face and the surprise and sheer embarrassment of being caught red handed made Atsumu shove the mask right back at Omi's face.

"Ow." Omi muttered, slowly sitting up as he regarded Atsumu with a glare. "Assaulting someone who was sleeping, you're pretty scary."

"Ya weren't sleeping!" Atsumu accused, his face still red when he asked "Why do ya even wear a mask?"

"If I don't wear this kind of mask," Omi started, his voice barely a whisper as he continued. "I wouldn't seem like a monster, would I?"

* * *

Their days together soon turned to weeks, and before Atsumu knew it, it was already time to head back home to his mother and Osamu in the city. 

Omi didn't say anything when Atsumu informed him of his departure.

He only stood by the entrance of the torii, his kitsune mask still present as he watched Atsumu without a word. Atsumu was about to tell him his plans for the next summer when he heard a rustling of leaves near them.

A twig snaps and when Atsumu turned his head, he's greeted by a shadow, its eyes are bright and its teeth are sharp when it opened its mouth with a wild grin.

"Omi-kun... Isn't that a human child..." The forest spirit's eyes never left Atsumu's as it talked.

"Can I eat it?" The question sent a shiver down Atsumu's spine but Omi was quick to get in between Atsumu and the spirit, hiding Atsumu from its view with a protective arm raised in front of Atsumu.

"No, you can't." Omi's voice was deep and commanding, leaving no room for discussion. "He's a friend of mine."

Atsumu's eyes widen at the implication that Omi thought of him as a friend, Atsumu couldn't fight off the smile on his face.

"Is that so..." The spirit started, its eyes once again found its way back to Atsumu's. "Human child, don't touch Omi-kun."

"If you do, I'll eat _you_." 

Atsumu flinched at the obvious threat, but he held his ground, refusing to cower in front of his new found friend.

"I won't," Atsumu declared, "I'm Omi-Omi's friend, after all!" 

The forest spirit seemed to be content with his answer since it left leaving a trail of leaves and Atsumu was too distracted by Omi's laugter to see where the spirit went. "What's so funny?" Atsumu asked the older boy.

"You're really weird." Omi said in between laughter. "Why aren't you scared of us?"

"That's cause you're my friend, duh." Atsumu didn't see the way Omi's lips quirked in a soft smile, his mask hiding the view from sight.

"I'll be back to visit again, Omi-Omi." Atsumu promised with a wave as he started to pack his things inside his backpack.

Atsumu gave the older boy one final smile before he started heading back to his grandparents' house, engraving Omi's kitsune mask and dark unruly hair to memory.

* * *

The following summer, Atsumu still went to his grandparents' alone, Osamu was too busy going on a trip with his friends to visit and Atsumu was more than happy to visit without his twin. 

The idea that he gets to keep Omi all to himself made him smile to himself as he rode the familiar train back to the countryside.

Omi would always be waiting for him near the old torii by the time Atsumu got back.

* * *

Three years has passed by since Atsumu met the strange boy and during Atsumu's visits, he's come to realize two important things regarding the masked boy. The first one being, that the forest spirits all seemed to love and cherish him.

"Omi-kun... Be careful..." An enormous hand made of tree branches quickly lifted Omi from the ground and placed him away from Atsumu during one of their walks by the river. "That's a human child. If you touch it, you'll disappear."

"Don't worry about me." Omi said softly, his voice assuring and gentle as he regarded the spirit.

"Human child," The hand pointed to Atsumu threateningly, "Don't you ever touch him." Its warning didn't go past Atsumu and he's quick to answer it with a nod and a short "Of course."

The second thing Atsumu noticed it that Omi doesn't seem to age.

The past three years added a few good inches to Atsumu's height and as he walked besides the older boy, he could already tell how close he is to reaching Omi's shoulders.

The thought makes Atsumu smile, distracting him from noticing the elevated root of a tree.

"Whatch out!" Atsumu heard Omi shout, and in the next second, Atsumu trips and falls flat on his face.

Atsumu saw Omi's stretched out hand a few inches from his face and the realization that Omi almost caught his arm sent a shiver down Atsumu's spine. The sudden fear of loosing the older boy was so overwhelming that Atsumu was quick to move away from Omi, his eyes pleading when he says Omi's name.

"No matter what, Omi." Atsumu's voice shook as he looked at the older boy, "Don't ever touch me, okay?"

Atsumu heard Omi apologize but the ringing in his ear was too loud for him to hear the rest of what Omi had to say. His eyes burn but no tears came and Atsumu was quick to say his goodbye to the older boy.

The entire walk back to his grandparents' house, Atsumu could stop his hands from shaking.

* * *

The following years passed by rather quickly and when Atsumu reached the old torii, he meets Omi once again.

"Look, Omi-Omi!" Atsumu was quick to show the older boy his school uniform. "I'm already graduating junior high next year!"

"You've definitely grown taller." Omi said with the same monotonous voice Atsumu's come to love through the years. "You were so small when I first saw you."

Their age seemed to get closer and closer.

_Omi pretty much stayed the same year after year._

The idea that Atsumu would be older than Omi one day crossed his mind and Atsumu tried to forget the thought as quickly as it came to mind. 

* * *

"It's okay if you forget about me." Omi didn't look at him when he began to tell Atsumu about his curse and why his body was so fragile.

"A body that's dependent on the magic of the forest god is very weak." Omi continued to explain without meeting Atsumu's eyes. "Once I touch human skin, the magic will vanish and I'll disappear."

"Something that disappears when touched," Atsumu was thoughtful as he considered Omi's words. "It's just like snow, isn't it?"

The smile Omi gave him was fond, but the sadness in his eyes made Atsumu look away.

"Omi, I think about ya during spring until the winter." Atsumu confessed, his chest tightening as he continued. "I don't think I'll ever forget about ya."

* * *

Atsumu is fifteen when Omi invited him to the Yōkai Festival.

"It happens every summer." Omi explained, "I didn't want to scare you so I never bothered to take you before."

"That sounds cool," Atsumu agreed to the invitation easily, the thought that Omi's been meaning to take him before made Atsumu smile. "Do I need to bring anythin'?"

"It's very similar to a human festival," the older boy explained, "I'll meet you by the torii at eight, let's go together."

* * *

The festival was surrounded by lanterns and Atsumu could smell freshly made yakisoba the moment he crossed the entrnce.

Omi was wearing a deep green yukata with the familiar kitsune mask covering his face and Atsumu felt a little bad that he went with his plain red shirt and worn down pants. Omi was quick to assure him that his choice of clothing didn't matter and they made their way to the first stall.

"Ya weren't kidding when ya said it looked a lot like a human festival." Atsumu bit into a takoyaki as he made a quick survey around the festival, seeing all the spirits roaming around with all kinds of different kabuki masks covering their faces, completely disguised as humans.

"Humans would sometimes sneak into the festival, and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference." Omi placed his own kitsune mask to Atsumu's gently, "I don't think I can keep waiting for you ever summer, Atsumu."

Before Atsumu could comprehend what Omi was saying, the older man quickly placed a soft kiss right on the mask, "You can have the mask."

"It looks good on you." Atsumu heard Omi say, he was too stunned to say anything back, glued to his spot as he watched the older boy walk away. Atsumu's at least thankful that the mask was able to hide the blush on his face as he desperately tried to calm his racing heart beat.

_Omi was going to be the death of him._

The older man stopped walking to look back at Atsumu, the soft smile on his face shook Atsumu from his thoughts as he quickly caught up to the older boy.

I hope this day would never end. The thought made Atsumu stay by Omi's side just a bit closer.

* * *

They were on their way home when a small boy ran past Omi, in his haste the child tripped and Omi was quick to help him back up with a soft "Be more careful."

Atsumu was the first one to notice something was wrong.

"Omi-kun?" Atsumu saw the light surrounding the hand Omi used to help the kid. "What's happening to yer hand?"

Atsumu watched Omi stare at his hand as realization made its way to his face.

"The kid must've been a human." Omi didn't sound panicked when he looked at him but Atsumu was already running to his side before he could stop himself.

"What do you mean he's human?" Atsumu knew the answer already but fear and desperation clouded his vision as the light continued to shine brighter and Atsumu could do nothing but stare and pray to any god who was willing to listen.

_Please. Please. Please. Don't take him away._

"Atsumu," Omi was so close and Atsumu could barely see his face when the tears started to blur his vision. "I can finally touch you." Omi lifted the mask from Atsumu and the smile Omi gave him was enough for Atsumu to return with his own.

The warmth of Omi's hug didn't last long and when Atsumu opened his eyes, he was met with nothing but the wind.

_I love you._

_Yeah... Me too._

Atsumu picked up the mask and held onto it until his tears stopped falling. He could hear the forest spirits talking to him, "Thank you Atsumu, even though we wanted to be with Omi-kun forever, we knew he wanted to be with you more than anything."

_He was finally able to touch you._

_He was finally embraced by someone he loved._

* * *

Atsumu is sixteen years old when he gets invited to the All-Japan youth intensive training camp for the first time.

The place was huge and he's greeted with unfamilar faces as every students from different schools gathered to participate in the first round of matches. Atsumu was picked as the starting setter and he's quick to prove his worth once the whistle blew.

Volleyball was something he decided to pick up after his last summer visit to the country side. 

The hard impact of a volleyball aimed straight to his face was enough to stop Atsumu's train of thoughts before it spiraled down to a painful memory he's tried to keep buried for the past twelve months.

"What the fuck?" Atsumu breathed out, he felt something drip from his nose and when he wiped it away, his hands came up bloodied.

"Sorry." A ~~painfully~~ familiar monotonous voice said right next to him and when Atsumu turned to glare at the stranger, he felt the air get knocked right out of his lungs.

A pair of coal black eyes watched him with minimum interest, the person's black unruly hair failed to cover the two sets of beauty marks on top of his right eyebrow and the stranger regarded Atsumu with blatant annoyance.

_He looks just like him._

"Who're ya?" Atsumu managed to ask evenly despite the erratic beating of his heart.

"Sakusa Kiyoomi." The stranger replied with a glare.

"So, _Omi-kun._ " Atsumu said, testing the name with his tongue as he regarded the stranger. 

"Can I call ya Omi-Omi?" Atsumu teased a few seconds later, his smirk growing wider from the way the other boy's shoulder tensed.

"Don't call me that." Kiyoomi said flatly, earning him a chuckle from Atsumu.

"But it's a cool nickname." Atsumu confessed.

"You're weird." Kiyoomi said, but Atsumu saw the way his shoulders began to shake and the sound of the other boy's laughter surprised Atsumu, it was the same deep yet soothing sound he's heard all those summers ago.

"Have we met before?" Kiyoomi ended up asking once he's calmed down from his laughter.

"No." Atsumu answered, "but ya remind me of someone I used to visit every summer."

**Author's Note:**

> as always, kudos and comments give me life! and pls feel free to come scream at me on [twitter!](https://twitter.com/oikawakkun)


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